More Info on Leak Detection & Auto Shut Off Valves

The Benefits of Water Hero

Why should I purchase and install a Water Hero?

Water Hero helps to protect homes and buildings from damaging water leaks like burst pipes and failing water heaters that cause catastrophic damage to a home. These types of leaks occur in 1 in 55 homes in the United States each year and can cost $100K or more for repair.

Water Hero also detects non-damaging leaks that drive up water bills like eroded toilet flappers. 10% of the homes in the United States are leaking 90 gallons or more each day – the homeowner is typically unaware.

Will Water Hero help me save on water costs?

Water Hero can pay for itself by discovering just one leak and Water Hero has seen a payback as soon as six weeks after installation. Water Hero alerts you to water leaks so you catch them early, saving money on your water bill.

Many Water Hero customers install our product after a “surprise” water bill where a leak drove up their costs by thousands of dollars. 60% of users catch a non-damaging leak within the first year.

Will Water Hero help me save on homeowners insurance costs?

Many Water Hero customers receive reductions in homeowner’s insurance premiums after installing Water Hero in their homes. Each insurance agency has its own policies and rebates. We encourage you to contact your insurance agency to see if they can offer you an insurance discount. We can provide the necessary owners certificates and other documentation required.

A toilet valve broke while I was sleeping – Water Hero detected the problem and shut off the water before significant damage. An $100K Save

Ariel – Staten Island, NY

Product Components & Functionality

How does Water Hero work? Where do the moisture sensors go?

Water Hero is a flow based leak detection system and does not use moisture sensors. It measures the flow of water through your home piping and detects leaks based on manually configurable set points. For example, in Home mode, if water is flowing for 15 minutes, you will get a leak text and/or e-mail alert. At 20 minutes, Water Hero can automatically shut off your water. As the user, you can automatically adjust these time thresholds.

How does Water Hero differentiate between flow and a water leak?

Water Hero measures time of continuous flow. If water is running for too long, it senses a leak and shuts off the water. The user is in control of the amount of time by adjusting set points on our web dashboard or mobile app. The benefit of this (over Artificial Intelligence) is keeping control in the users hands to lower false positives and keep you (not a computer) in control of whether your water gets shut off.

What makes your system different from others out there?

Water Hero is (1) a whole home system (2) uses reliable, standard plumbing components and (3) is totally user configurable.

Traditional leak detectors or moisture sensors rely on sensors placed around your whole home and trip an alert if moisture hits those sensors. You’ll likely need 10-15 sensors and some “luck” that a pipe bursts near a sensor to protect a typical home. Water Hero is a next generation whole home system that uses flow to detect leaks rather than sensors.

Water Hero uses standard plumbing products cut into the pipe including unions, a motorized stainless steel ball valve and a traditional brass water meter built to AWWA (American Water Works Association) standards. Our electronics fasten on top of this traditional meter and make it “smart.” Plumbers like that old, proven, plumber-friendly technology gets plumbed into the pipes, with new technology outside of the pipes for easy repair and maintenance, if required.

Water Hero is user configurable to enable the user to control how they’d like their settings to be. This places full control in the hands of the homeowners, lowering the number of false positives while ensuring that homes are protected.

What is in the Water Hero P-100?

The Water Hero P-100 comes with our standard plumbing components that are cut into the pipe – a water meter, unions, and a motorized stainless steel ball valve – these have NPT, threaded fittings for a simple installation. It also comes with the Water Hero Electronics & Cables – the Water Hero Main Controller, Sensor, Sensor Cable, Ethernet Cable, and Power Supply.

What is the Water Hero K-100?

The Water Hero K-100 straps on to an existing water meter on the street or in your home. The trade-off is that it is a non-invasive installation (not requiring a plumber) but it can not shut off the water. Call 877-662-4496 or e-mail info@waterheroinc.com to learn more about the Water Hero K-100.

What cables are provided and how long are they? Does Water Hero need to be hardwired into power?

Water Hero provides a 5 Volt power adapter, valve cord and Ethernet cord, each of which are 6’ long. All cables can be extended if needed. Water Hero needs to be plugged into a standard outlet to operate.

Is there a manual override on the valve?

Yes, there is a manual override on the motorized ball valve as well as a button that you can press on the main controller to exercise the valve with the motor.

What pipe sizes does Water Hero come in?

Water Hero P-100 is offered in ¾” and 1” pipe. We list the 3/4″ pipe on the website as that is our best selling unit, feel free to call us at 877-662-4496 if you’d like to order the 1″ unit.

Is Water Hero safe? What states is it Certified in?

All wetted components are NSF-61-G Certified Lead Free and safe for drinking water. Water Hero is certified in the state of Massachussetts.

What is the warranty?

Water Hero has an industry leading, five year extended hardware warranty

Do you have a hard-wired option?

Water Hero only connects over WiFi and is not hardwired into a router or modem.

What is Water Hero’s accuracy?

The accuracy of Water Hero flow readings are approximately 5%

Very easy to set up and has performed perfectly from the first day. Overall, very pleased with the product.

Frank L – Los Gatos, CA

Water Hero Features

Can I shut off water remotely when I’m not home? Will Water Hero shut off the water automatically?

Yes, you can shut the water off from anywhere in the world, remotely, via our mobile app or web interface. Also, in our settings, you can adjust Water Hero to shut the water off automatically if it hits a certain number of minutes of continuous flow that you designate.

If I buy today, will I have access to new features?

All new features are released and automatically updated on your device over WiFi. You will always have the latest device features on your Water Hero.

Can Water Hero notify more than one phone or e-mail if there is a leak event?

Water Hero can notify one phone number and one e-mail for leak and temperature alerts. There are options to link multiple phone numbers to one phone number and multiple emails to one e-mail. Water Hero personnel can help you set this up for you if you’d like.

Can multiple units be connected to one account?

Yes, more than one Water Hero be connected to one account.

What happens if my power goes out and I get a leak?

If the power goes out, the Water Hero starts processing all water flow data locally. Automatic shut-off occurs based on the last input settings in the device. The rechargeable backup battery can power your system for several days. When Power and/or WiFi goes back up Water Hero automatically connects back to the internet, starts accepting power and is then controllable over the internet.

Does Water Hero integrate with a home security system? Or other smart home devices like Alexa or Nest?

Water Hero does not integrate with a home security system or other smart home systems at this time. Water Hero is working to release these integrations – you will have access to these integrations when they are available.

Does Water Hero integrate with any leak sensors?

Water Hero does not integrate with other leak sensors – whole home leak detection is generally considered the most robust option.

Can the user get alerts for total gallons used?

Not at this time, but we are adding that feature it within months. All users will have access to that soon!

Can I use Water Hero to bill my tenant for their water consumption?

Water Hero is designed for leak detection. Please consult with Water Hero directly to discuss if this is a requirement for your system.

Try it. The Peace of Mind Is Worth the Small Investment

Larry – AZ

Water Hero Installation

How much does installation typically cost? How much time does it take?

Is there a list of preferred installers? Do you have a Water Hero Authorized Installer Program?

Water Hero has a list of 50+ Authorized Installers who receive benefits such as being pushed Water Hero Installation Jobs, receiving discounts on Water Hero and more. Please reach out to Water Hero directly to participate in a brief training and installation program in order to become an Authorized Installer.

How and where is Water Hero installed?

Water Hero is installed by cutting the water meter, unions and motorized ball valve into the pipe right where the water enters the home. Note that Water Hero should be installed after a fire suppression system. Typically, Water Hero is also installed after an irrigation system to enable more sensitive set-points for water leak detection. That said, if customers are concerned with non-damaging leaks in their irrigation system, Water Hero can be installed before the irrigation system. See above for plumbing installation guidelines document to learn more.

Can Water Hero Be Installed Outside?

Water Hero can only be installed outside if it is a coated sensor and installed in an outdoor rated enclosure. Water Hero provides outdoor rated units, please let our team know if you wish to install the unit outside and we will provide the required equipment.

My water meter is next to the street. Can Water Hero work for me?

The Water Hero P-100 comes with its own water meter and motorized ball valve and has nothing to do with your existing utility meter. It can certainly work for you!

What are the permitting requirements for Water Hero? Where can Water Hero be installed?

Water Hero installation must comply with federal, state and local requirements. Water Hero can be installed in the US and Canada and has the necessary certifications required for installation in Massachusetts.

My water main is larger than 1"; will Water Hero work for me?

Water Hero offers 1” and ¾” pipe sizes. If your water mains is larger than that, we have many customers who have installed 1” Water Hero P-100 and reduced their pipe size briefly to accommodate the Water Hero. Based on pressure loss calculations and previous experience, these customers have experienced negligible pressure loss. We do not recommend installing on Water Hero P-100 on pipe sizes greater than 1 ½” in size.

How is Water Hero connected to my home network?

Water Hero is connected to your home network with a laptop or smart phone. Water Hero emits a wireless network that you connect your phone or laptop too. Then, you point your home WiFi network to connect with the Water Hero network and follow the procedure to get it on the internet. It is similar to connecting any other smart home device and is detailed in our manual and quick start guide above.

My home WiFi doesn’t reach where you want to install the Water Hero. How do I manage that?

If your home WiFi doesn’t reach the Water Hero, you can purchase a cheap range extender and plug it in nearby where your Water Hero will be installed. We recommend the Netgear EX2700, which retails for under $30.